These three tattoo artists aren’t just pushing boundaries—they’re rewriting the rulebook. From Baltimore to Long Beach, they’re using their art to celebrate identity, challenge norms, and create space for everyone. Time for you to meet them:
Huntress Weinkam (she/her): @huntress_tattoo
Huntress Weinkam, co-owner of Hallowed Pearl Tattoo in Baltimore, Maryland, brings a vibrant twist to traditional tattooing—blending elements of surrealism, cubism, and historical art into her bold, distinctive style. With thick lines and familiar imagery, like skulls and snakes, her work stays rooted in tattoo tradition while bursting with her signature playful energy. Each piece isn’t just a display of creative skill, it’s a personal expression shaped by her lived experience in the LGBTQIA+ community.
“I do feel a huge sense of responsibility to showcase the trans experience in my work,” she says. “We do not have much of a presence in this craft because people are not as accepting or understanding.”
Through her art, Huntress is on a mission to uplift and celebrate trans beauty.
“I want to normalize trans bodies as well as remind others and myself that may have forgotten that we are beautiful, and we do deserve to feel that way, no matter how the world treats us.”
Ren Dahl (she/her/they/them): @harpycircus
Get ready to be swept up in the whimsical world of Ren Dahl, resident artist of Long Live Tattoo Collective in Denver, Colorado, where bold color meets quirky imagination. Ren’s show-stopping style—moody hues, soft shimmer, and stark contrast—feels like Lisa Frank entering her dark, edgy era. Playful and vibrant, Ren’s art can be just about anything: gorgeous blooms trailing along a vine & neon butterflies, other whimsical insects, or surreal creations plucked straight from the corners of your wildest dreams (or hers). If you can imagine it, Ren’s gonna bring it to life.
So, where does all that color come from? For Ren, the Pride Flags are a constant source of inspiration.
“My work is really reliant on color gradients to be successful, and I return to the colors from the Pride Flags as a great starting point for color palettes. I also get a lot of requests from clients for the colors of specific flags, and I think it’s a great way to personalize the design and make it extra special for the specific client.”
One of her favorite tattoos to do? Cover-ups. Ren loves helping clients reclaim their skin and self-expression.
“I think it is really fun and important to be able to help somebody get rid of a problematic tattoo they’ve had in the past, a bad experience, or even just something they don’t like anymore, they said. “And it’s always really fulfilling when they get to see the final result, and everybody’s really happy.”
After over five years in the industry, Ren has a golden piece of advice for queer artists looking for their big break: choose your apprenticeship carefully.
“Not every shop is going to be a safe space, and it’s really important that you are getting the most you can out of your apprenticeship,” they say. “If you’re feeling unsafe or like your voice isn’t being heard or your artistic expression isn’t being respected, it’s better to leave and start again, or even to just wait for a better opportunity to come around than it is to stick around in an unsafe place. Your career is worth the wait.”
Danielle McKnight (she/her): @inkgirl666
Artist Danielle McKnight of Black Moon Lilith Tattoo Studio in Long Beach, California, has been in the game for nearly 17 years, and she’s not slowing down anytime soon. She’s known for her neo-traditional and black-and-gray realism work—but don’t put her in a box: her style contains volumes and innumerable subjects. One glance at her portfolio, including a powerful rendering of Medusa, a jolly garden gnome, and even an Aztec Charizard, is enough to show you her versatility.
“I do a wide variety of styles. I never wanted to pigeonhole myself into just doing one style of tattoo work, [and] I feel like, as an artist, it’s great to be able to do a wide variety of styles.”
Danielle’s work is steeped in mystical, witchy vibes—crystals, crescent moons, potion bottles, and all things magical. Her clients are obsessed.
“[It’s] very witchy, it’s very esoteric, and a lot of my clients tend to really enjoy that part of the shop when they come in, which is amazing,” she says. “And I also tend to attract a lot of witchy clientele because of that, which is also amazing, and I absolutely love that.”
More than just an artist, Danielle is also passionate about creating a safe, affirming space for the LGBTQIA+ community, both for clients and other artists.
“I definitely feel a sense of responsibility in representing the LGBTQ community in my shop,” she says. “[I] think it’s important to have [spaces] for our community where we feel safe, we feel heard, and we feel taken care of by the people who are providing the service for us.”
As a seasoned artist, she has some solid advice for those starting out. First, don’t limit yourself. “[Keep in mind] when you’re searching for an apprenticeship, you want to have an extensive portfolio of any of your artwork, whether it is drawings, paintings, digital art, sculpture, anything that’s going to show off your style and your art background, anything that’s going to show off your skill level, always have those.”
Her second gem of advice? Go where you are seen, heard, and have the best opportunity to learn.
“[Always] make sure that you’re finding spaces that are going to nurture who you are, not only as a person, but as an artist, too,” she says. “[Our] environment is going to foster who we are and who we become later on as tattoo artists. So that’s going to be very, very important. And just find someplace that you can be yourself.”
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